In a code symbol reader in which a CCD (Charge Coupled Device Image Sensor) imaging pickup element, etc. pickup the image of a code symbol using an area image sensor and then outputs the pickup commodity code, in order to guarantee the brightness for the imaging pickup, the code symbol is irradiated by the light from a light source while the area image sensor is picked up an image, as an optical illusion will be caused if light is continuously irradiated from the light source, light is irradiated at certain time intervals during the period in which no image is picked up by the area image sensor.